What you are looking for?

Blog Posts

10 Entrepreneur Quotes to Inspire You – For Budding Entepreneurs

As budding entrepreneurs try to climb the steep ladder of success, they find themselves in need of inspiration and read entrepreneur quotes from time to time. Starting up a business can be a very stressful and demanding time. Entrepreneurship is fraught with stress, uncertainty and isolation, that can cause anxiety and depression, which can lead to a loss of motivation.

Entrepreneurs might not see the results of their work as fast as they'd like. They might feel like their efforts are futile, or that they're pursuing the wrong business. There is a lot of uncertainty and ups-and-downs when it comes to being an entrepreneur. People who are starting out a new business might feel like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders as they experience the heavy pressure to perform well. They might feel responsible for the people who work for them or with them and feel like they cannot afford to fail.

All this pressure can result in a loss of purpose and meaning for why they're doing what they're doing. if you're an entrepreneur and you feel yourself falling into that hole, it's important to remind yourself what the "why" is, so that you can work on the "how." Once you know the purpose of what you're doing, you can always figure out how to do it.

Entrepreneurs are visionaries, risk takers, and innovators. But even the most creative of people sometimes get in a rut and run out of steam. A great way to get out of that entrepreneurial writer's block is to read some great entrepreneur quotes by the people who walked in the same shoes, and who might be a good source of inspiration to you.

How We Reviewed

We've compiled a list of inspiring entrepreneur quotes by some of the most famous people on the planet, including entrepreneurs, poets, and a football coach, to get your creative juices flowing. These quotes can help you re-establish why it is you wanted to pursue this dream to begin with, and how to go about being an entrepreneur in a meaningful and sustainable way.

What's on the List

Walt Disney: “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Our chief want in life, is someone who shall make us do what we can. This is the service of a friend. With him, we are easily great.”

Robert H. Schuller: “Tough times never last, but tough people do.”

“Don’t worry about being successful but work toward being significant and the success will naturally follow.”

Mandy Hale: “There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.”

Bo Schembechler: “The Team! The Team! The Team!”

Theodore Roosevelt: “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred with dust and sweat; who strives valiantly, who errs and may fall again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming.”

Steve Martin: “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”

Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

John Acuff: “Dear entrepreneurs, you can start a thousand businesses, launch 100 projects, and take dozens of companies public, but you only have one shot at being part of your kid’s childhood. Your kid doesn’t care about your platform, they care about your presence.”

Walt Disney

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

Walt Disney is considered one of the greatest American entrepreneurs of all time and a true pioneer of the animation industry. Disney is the epitome of dreaming big and working hard to achieve greatness in the face of hardship. It's Disney's true entrepreneurial spirit that helped him overcome the multiple obstacles he was faced with throughout his life, such as having very little education and no training in art. Instead of bemoaning his predicament and giving in to despair, Disney became a self-taught artist and dominated the animation market, leaving his mark on the industry forever. Remember, courage and work ethic can overcome almost any stumbling block in business.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Our chief want in life, is someone who shall make us do what we can. This is the service of a friend. With him, we are easily great.”

This philosopher and poet was the leader of the transcendentalist movement in the mid-19th century. Many see him as one of the greatest advocate's of individualism, so no wonder his quotes often strike a cord with entrepreneurs. Many entrepreneurs enjoy working alone, but it's important to remember that a friend who motivates you to do your best can be a great asset to your business. Surround yourself with people who make you want to do better, not those who bring you down.

Robert H. Schuller

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.”

Out of all the entrepreneur quotes, this quote is important to keep in mind. All entrepreneurs know hard times in business are expected. You cannot ride on a high 100% of the time. It's getting through the tough times and not giving up that separates the doers from the dreamers. Embrace the pain of the journey to enjoy it when you finally get to your destination. Keep in mind, you're playing the long game. Any problem you're going through is just a small drawback in the bigger picture.

Oprah Winfrey

“Don’t worry about being successful but work toward being significant and the success will naturally follow.”

Oprah Winfrey is a walking and talking source of inspiration, especially for entrepreneur quotes. Often entrepreneurs focus on the end result instead of the product. Trying to become successful, instead of trying to create something great, is a sure way to fail in business. Just think of all the famous entrepreneurs you admire like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. They were all obsessed with their creation, not the money or the eventual success it brought.

Mandy Hale

“There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.”

As entrepreneurs, it's important to keep in mind our relationships to other people and the world. If we focus too much on inanimate things, we can forget why we're doing what we're doing. Often, the goal is to make life better for others.

Bo Schembechler

“The Team! The Team! The Team!”

In this visionary football speech, Michigan coach Bo Schembechler reminded his Wolverines of what was really important if they wanted to win the Big Ten championship: the team. The life of an entrepreneur can sometimes feel quite lonely. An entrepreneur might think he can achieve everything on his own. But every great leader needs a great team. You cannot oversee everything on your own, especially as your business expands.

Theodore Roosevelt

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred with dust and sweat; who strives valiantly, who errs and may fall again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming.”

Mistakes are what makes us great. Without mistakes there is no growth, no improvement. There is stagnation. Nothing is more detrimental to entrepreneurship than stagnation. That's why it's important to be able to fail with grace, and pick yourself up and dust yourself off, and continue on. No mistake is so big that it can't be fixed, re-done, or corrected in some way. You can always start over, even from the bottom. Remember: there is beauty in the struggle.

Steve Martin

“Be so good they can’t ignore you.”

Many starting entrepreneurs get discouraged quickly when things don't go as planned, or when they're not being recognized for their contributions. They might start complaining incessantly about how unfair the world is and how their product/business is being overlooked. If you find yourself in that frame of mind remember this quote from Steve Martin. If you're good enough, you simply can't be ignored. Just get back to your grind and focus on making your dreams come true. Or as rapper Drake would say, "I just been playing, I ain't even notice I was winning." Be so busy working and striving to be better that you don't even notice when you hit it big.

Mahatma Gandhi

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

This one is so famous it's almost become a trite saying, yet it continues to be an inspiration for people all around the world. But what does it mean to be the change you wish to see in the world? It means that you can't hope to see other people bring about changes. That you can't rely on others to do what you think is right. The change starts with you. If one of us changes for the better, others might follow. Don't leave responsibility to others, take it upon your shoulders and be a good example for those surrounding you.

John Acuff

“Dear entrepreneurs, you can start a thousand businesses, launch 100 projects, and take dozens of companies public, but you only have one shot at being part of your kid’s childhood. Your kid doesn’t care about your platform, they care about your presence.”

For entrepreneurs, their business, their vision, their work ethic can sometimes overshadow all other parts of life. This can be hard on their loved ones, especially children. Remember, when you're 90-years-old, you will find more joy in knowing that you were a good parent than you will in knowing you ran a successful business. Be a hustler, but always remember the things that are important in life.

The Conclusion

Even famously creative people like entrepreneurs need inspiration from time to time, whether it's to do with their business or with how to navigate their family life while being an entrepreneur. And sometimes a good quote from someone you admire is just the thing you need to push you to the next level with your idea or your ongoing project.

As an entrepreneur, you will run into challenges that will feel like the end of the world and will make you want to wait and give up right there and then. In those moments it's critical to remind yourself of your goals and stay focused on what really matters. Running a business is like running a marathon, you need a good strategy as you will be faced withups and downs. It's important to learn how to navigate those roadblocks and keep going in the face of obstacles. If you're currently doing good, then keep that positive energy going and focus on moving ahead and staying inspired. If you're in a rut, take a few moments to get it together and come up with a new strategy.

Reading these inspirational entrepreneur quotes might not seem like a big deal, after all, they are just quotes, right? Wrong! It is actually very important for every entrepreneur to have a source of inspiration during hard times as it might help improve their mental health. The same traits that make entrepreneurs great at business, also make them more susceptible to mental health issues. Traits such as perfectionism, independence, risk-taking, problem-solving skills, multi-tasking, etc. These traits make entrepreneurs vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and stress. Let's face it, the life of an entrepreneur is stressful, uncertain, and isolating, and entrepreneurs are not exactly known for meditating, taking vacations and putting their mental health first. That's why it's a great idea to sit down and read these quotes and remind yourself why it is you're working so hard, reflect on and re-establish your goals, and put in perspective everything you hope to accomplish.

Your motivation has a great impact on your company and those who work for you, which is why you need to stay inspired. We hope these entrepreneur quotes will help to stimulate your entrepreneurial spirit!

Through the weekly emails, Terri will help you improve mindset and your business, make more money, become more connected with others and learn how to do business heart-to-heart. Sign up to get weekly updates!

Thank you for signing up to receive the Heartgram! Look for your emails to start this coming Tuesday and then once a week to follow.